Hydraulic motor.



C. R. LAWSON.

HYDRAULIC MOTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 25, 1912.

1,072,475, Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

3 SHBETSr-SHEET 1.

Q Q I Si N WITNESSES INVENTOR Charles R. Laws n C. R. LAWSON.

HYDRAULIC MOTOR.

APPLIGATION IILED JUNE 25, 1912.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOS Charles R.Lczwson M ATTORNEYS cqLuMmA PLANOnnAP" C0..WA$)1INGTON. D.c.

C. R. LAWSON.

HYDRAULIC MOTOR.

APPLICATION TILED JUNE 25, 1912 1,072,475. Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES I/VVENTOR harles R.Lawson W ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0,,wAs:lINGTON. D. c.

PATENT @FFICE.

CHARLES R. LAWSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

HYDRAULIC MOTOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES R. Lawson, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and Improved l-lydraulic Motor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to hydraulic motors in general and particularly to such as are provided with float actuators.

The object of my invention is to provide a multiple float motor of this character that shall be simple in arrangement and in expensive to construct and that shall be specially arranged to economically develop a large power relative to the quantity of water utilized.

Other objects will be hereinafter set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motor constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of two adjacent cylinders and parts conncctcd therewith; and Fig. 4 is a detail view, partly in section, showing a modified :form of the invention as applicable to the top of one of the cylinders.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the motor comprises a series of cylinders 11 in the form of open tanks or receptacles in which are mounted floating pistons '12, which have the "form of closed cylindrical tanks and are preferably constructed of sheet metal such as boiler plate. The open tanks or cylinders 11 are provided at the top with funnel-shaped flanges 15 which guide the incoming water into the small spaces between the pistons and the walls of the cylinders in which they operate. Each of the pistons 19. is provided with a yoke 13 which extends through suitable perforations in opposite sides of the flange 15. At least one arm of each yoke is provided with a loop 16 through which the free end oi. a lever 17 extends. Each of the arms of the yokes 13 is pivotally connected by means of a pin 18 with a pitman 1f), the opposite end of which is pivotally connected with a walking beam 21. Various walking beams 21 are suitably mounted in brackets set out from Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 25, 1912.

Itatcutcd Sept. 9, 19,1 3.

Serial No. 705,681.

the standard or base 22 of the motor, and said beams are pivotally mounted on a shaft 23. The beam .21 is connected by means of a pitman 24. with the crank 95 ot' a crank shaft 26. The crank shaft Qt) is suitably mounted, and the cranks 25 thereon are balanced to provide for the extension of the lifting side of the shaft of one or more of the cranks. The arrangement of the connecting yokes 13 is particularly advantagoons when the cylinders and pistons are large as is the case when the motor is adapt ed to develop a relatively large power, since it permits the vertical height of the complete device to be reduced and makes it: possible to use tanks of standard or well known constructions.

In the drawings, T have shown a series of three cylinders 11. These I consider as a unit, :for, by reason of the arrangement of the crank shaft in equal divisions of a circle, provision is made that at least. one of the cranks shall be at all times on the power or ascending side of the crank shaft 26. It' the unit. is multiplied, I prefer that the arrangement oi the cranks 25 shall be such as will divide equally the original spacing or division of the circle; that is, it two units be used, the arrangement of the six cranks would be such as to divide the circle into six parts; if the unit be tripled, the arrangement of the cranks would be such as to divide the circle into nine parts. In all events, it is preferred that the shaft 26 be provided with a fly-wheel 27.

As indicated, the motive power of the device is the flotation force of each of the pistons '19.. These pistons are floated by water entering by supply pipes The water delivered by the pipes 28 to the cylinders 1K1 li'fts each piston l2 and the yokes '13 connected therewith. 'When the maximum lift or elevation of each piston 12 is attained, the supply of water is discontinued by closing the pipe 28 connected therewith and rapidly discharging through a discharge pipe 29. To this end, the pipes are each provided with suitable rocking valves mounted on rocking shafts 510 and i-l' The shafts 30 and 31. are suitably furnished with small pinions 32 and tixedly mounted on said shafts.

.-'\ttention directed to the fact that the pistons fit loosely into the cylinders and hence neither of the parts have to be finished or machined. Nevertheless the pistons are ca I only slightly smaller in diameter than the cylinders and consequently a minimum quantity of water is required relative to the power developed by the machine.

In the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, I employ rack toothed yokes 34 and 35, the teeth whereof are engaged with the pinions 32 and 33. The yokes 34 and 35 are structurally connected by a guide arm 36. The arm 36 is connected with the lever 17 by means of a pin 38, which extends through a slot 39 in the end of said lever. The levers 17 are each pivoted on a shaft 40. The disposition of the shaft 40 is such that a relatively slight movement of the free end of the lever 17 produces a movement of the opposite end of said lever, suflicient to lift the arm 36 and yokes connected therewith a distance sufficient to rock the shafts 30 and 31 to com-.

pletely open or close the valves mounted thereon, to charge and discharge the cylinders 11.

The supply main 41 is connected with any suitable source, while the drain 42 delivers to any suitable repository or pound. It will be understood that the water delivered to the drain 42 may be utilized to supply a second motor of a similar character, disposed at a lower level.

With a motor constructed and arranged in the manner described, and as shown in the accompanying drawings, the operation is as follows :The pistons being disposed as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be found that the valve on the shaft 30 of the supply pipe 28 communicating with the cylinder at the extreme right of those shown in Fig. 2 is open, wlhile the valves on the shaft 31 of each of the other cylinders are closed. .Vhen, therefore, the water is turned on at the valve 43, the water is admitted to the 4 cylinder 1.1 at the right of said Fig. 2 of the drawings. It will be found that in the position of the piston 12 at the extreme right of said figure, the crank 25 with which it is connected is in a substantially horizontal extension, best adapted for the downward pull to be exerted thereon when the walking beam 21 connected therewith is rocked by the lift of the piston 12. The lift of the piston 12 at the extreme right of Fig. 2 rotates the shaft 26, and with it the cranks 25 operatively connected with each of the other cylinders. hen, therefore, in the course of operation, the cylinder at the extreme right of said figure attains the half of its upward travel, the crank 25 connected with the middle cylinder has moved the piston therewith connected, until the lever 17 has been engaged by the loop 16, and moved thereby to the position where the downward movement of the piston of the middle tank disposes said lever. This position of the piston of the middle tank raises the end of the lever 17, to lift the guide arm 36 connected therewith, and the yokes 34 and 35 to rock the valves connected with the shafts 30 and 31. The shafts, by this movement of the yokes, are rocked in such manner that the valve controlling the pipe 28 is opened, while the valve controlling the pipe 29 is closed. Now, in the second or middle cylinder, water is rapidly introduced to float the piston 12 of said second cylinder. It will be understood that the first period of the rise of the piston 12 of the middle cylinder is coincident with the last period of rise of the piston in the first cylinder, and with the first period of fall of the piston in the third cylinder. Coincident with the second or last period of rise of the piston of the middle cylinder is the last period of fall of the piston in the third cylinder and the first period of fall of the piston in the first cylinder. In this manner, the cylinders alternate, the cranks .25 being arranged in such manner as to receive the full power stroke during the rise of the piston connected therewith.

The operation of the 'alves'mounted on the shafts 30 and 31 is automatic. The length of the loop 16, and the ratio of the ends of the lever 17 are arranged to time the rise and fall of the guide arms 36 and yokes 34 and 35 connected therewith, to the rise and fall of the piston and yoke 13 connected therewith, with which said guide arms are operatively connected.

To reverse the operation of the rocking shafts 30 and 31 and the valves mounted thereon, I provide the yokes 34 with oppositely-disposed racks, as seen best in Fig. 2 of drawings. The racks in the yokes 34, 35 are sufliciently separated so that when the racks on one side of said yokes engage the wheels 32 and 33, the racks on the opposite side of said yokes are cleared from engagement with said wheels. By altering the engagement of the racks on said yokes, the operation of the shafts is reversed, and the consequent operation of the pistons 12 is reversed from that above noted.

To shift the yokes 3.4, 35 and the arm 36 connecting the same, said arm is provided L lever 50 is connected to one of the yokes 46 by a link 53. This is true of but one of the yokes 46, the others of the series being connected to the shaft 51 by a stiff arm 54 and a connecting link 55, the links 55 resembling in all respects the link 53.

In the operation of the machine, the arms 36 are each reciproca'ted by means of one of the levers 17. The slots 47 in each arm 36 are sufficiently elongated to provide for the necessary movement of the arms. The arms 36 are guided by the pins 44 to the upright position, the yokes 16 being each maintained in vertical disposition by lugs 56 extending from the sides of each of the ends 41-5 of said yokes.

It will be understood that, as in other instances, the speed of the present motor is controlled by the valve 43, which limits the supply of water passing to the various cylinders by way of the main 41.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 4-, I provide for closing the cylinders 11, so that the head pressure, if there be any, of the water in the pipes ll and 28 may be utilized when introduced into said cylinders for more quickly and forcibly lifting or elevating the piston 12.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters latent:

11. A hydraulic motor comprising an open ended receptacle cylinder, a closed hollow cylindrical piston loosely fitted into the open ended. receptacle cylinder, a yoke cured to the top of the hollow cylindrical piston and extending downwardly outside of the receptacle cylinder, a rotatable motor shaft, interposed gearing between the ends of the yoke and the motor shaft and means for alternately introducingwater at the top of the receptacle cylinder and discharging it from the bottom of said cylinder.

2. A hydraulic motor comprising an open ended receptacle cylinder, a closed hollow cylindrical piston loosely fitted into the open ended receptacle cylinder, a yoke secured to the top of the hollow cylindrical piston and extending downwardly outside of the receptacle cylinder, a rotatable motor shaft, interposed gearing between the ends of the yoke and the motor shaft and means, automatically dependent upon the movement of the cylindrical piston in the cylinder for alternately introducing water at the top of the receptacle cylinder and discharging it from the bottom of said cylinder.

A hydraulic motor comprising a plurality of open ended receptacle cylinders, a plurality of floating cylindrical pistons loosely titted into the receptacle cylinders, yokes secured to the top of said floating pistons and extending downwardly on opposite sides of the receptacle cylinders and outside of said cylinders, a single rotatable motor shaft, interposed gearing between the ends of each yoke and the motor shaft comprising a plurality of cranks secured to and angularly disposed about the motor shaft and means for alternately introducing water at the top and discharging water from the bottom of each of the cylinders, said means being automatically dependent upon the rise and fall of the pistons.

4%. A hydraulic motor, comprising a plurality of open-ended receptacle cylinders; a plurality of pistons mounted to be floated in said cylinders; a water-supply system for introducing and discharging water from said cylinders, embodying a plurality of valves controlling said system; means connecting each of said valves with one of said pistons, for operating said valves concordantly with said pistons; and means for timing the operation of said valves relative the movement of said pistons.

A hydraulic motor, comprising a plurality of open-ended receptacle cylinders; a plurality of floating pistons mounted therein; a water-supply system for said cylinders, embodying a supply main, a controlling valve for said main, a plurality of cut-oft valves for each of said cylinders; and a plurality of cut-off valves for controlling the discharge from said cylinders, said cut-off valves being connected to operate in unison; a timing mechanism operatively connecting said cut-otl' valves and said pistons, embodying means for operating said cut-off valves, and operative by said pistons at the limit of the strokes thereof.

6. A hydraulic motor, comprising a plurality of open-ended receptacle cylinders; a plurality of floating pistons mounted therein; a water-supply systcn'i for said cylinders, embodying a supply main, a controlling valve for said main, a plurality of cutoff valves for each of said cylinders, and a plurality of cut-off valves for controlling the discharge from said cylinders, said cutoff valves being connected to operate in unison; a timing mechanism operatively connecting said cut-oil valves and said pistons, embodying means for operating said cut-off valves, and operative by said pistons at the limit of the strokes thereof; a crank-provided power shaft; and means connecting each of said pistons with one of the cranks of said shaft, embodying a plurality of walking beams, each of said beams connecting one of said cranks and one of said pistons.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES R. LAlVSON.

WVit-nesses E. F, Mtnmocn, Plume D. RoLLnAUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

